Apparently pipeline companies are the last to know that pipelines can be dangerous,
even after Williams Co’s four strikes this year.
Maybe they should stop believing their own propaganda.
And why do pipeline companies get four strikes and they’re still not out, anyway?

“Certainly, this has come as a big surprise to our
organization,” Chief Executive Officer Alan Armstrong said on
a conference call with analysts today. “We are conducting very
thorough investigations into each incident to determine if there’s
any common or root cause.”

Why it comes as a big surprise to CEO Armstrong is, well,
surprising. It’s well known that pipelines and related
infrastructure do have spills, leaks, fires and explosions resulting
in property damage, injuries and deaths. At a time when fossil fuel
corporations are expanding and building new infrastructures and
pipelines, safety, not profits, should be the foremost
consideration.

According to Tom
Droege, Williams Co. spokesperson, as stated in an email, over
the last five years, Williams has had a lower rate of incidents on its
pipelines than the industry average, he said, citing federal statistics.

Hm, so if Williams has fewer than the industry average, where does Spectra rank?

Droege failed to mention the industrial average was 1.6 pipeline
incidents per day, so what does a “lower rate of
incidents” really mean?